Subaru Telescope 2.0

Key Instruments > Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS)

Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS)

Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS)

Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) is a multi-object spectrograph that covers an ultra-wide field of view of 1.25 square degrees and obtains spectra up to approximately 2,400 celestial objects simultaneously in one exposure. It covers a wide wavelength range from visible light to near-infrared.

The fiber positioner nicknamed “Cobra,” which is installed on the prime focus plane, precisely aligns the approximately 2,400 fibers to the position of an individual target object. By transferring the light from the prime focus to the spectrographs through the fibers, PFS can obtain a large number of spectra simultaneously.

The PFS’s field of view is comparable with that of HSC. The Subaru Telescope provides wide-field imaging and spectroscopy with these two instruments.

PFS is developed by international collaborations with many institutes, including Kavli IPMU.

Keywords

Up to 2,394 objects can be spectroscopically observed simultaneously.

The fiber positioner precisely aligns the fibers to the position of an individual target object.

PFS obtains spectra covering the wide wavelength range (0.38-1.26 micrometers).